Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee Raja Petra Kamarudin was brought to the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court this morning to face a sedition trial.

The popular blogger arrived at the court in an unmarked police vehicle at about 8.30am. He was wearing a white collared blue T-shirt and a pair of blue jeans.

rpk raja petra sedition court 061008 emerge from van Fifty-eight-year-old Raja Petra appeared thinner, with longer hair and a beard. He also looked tired.

About 60 of his supporters were present in the court compound. Some wore T-shirts that read ‘Free RPK', ‘I am with RPK' and ‘No to ISA' calling for his release.

Also seen were some opposition leaders, led by DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang and Selangor exco member Ronnie Liu. Raja Petra's wife Marina Lee Abdullah was also present.

The sedition trial was fixed for a week over Raja Petra's article entitled ‘Let's send the Altantuya murderers to hell' which he posted on Malaysia Today on April 25.

On May 6 the Malaysia Today news portal webmaster was charged for allegedly implying in the article that Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his wife were involved in the killing of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.

Raja Petra then claimed trial to the charge. He was charged under Section 4(1) (c) of the Sedition Act for publishing the article which was deemed seditious.

If found guilty under sedition the popular blogger could face up to three years imprisonment or not more than RM5,000 fine, or both.

Justice Rozina Ayob is presiding over the case.

rpk raja petra sedition court 061008 surrounded Raja Petra was served with a two-year detention order on Sept 22 and is being held at the Kamunting detention camp in Perak.

He appeared in good spirits during a break in the trial this morning, smiling and joking with his family and friends.

Met after the hearing today, Raja Petra spoke to reporters briefly, saying: "I read and I dream of the day the government will be brought down and we abolish all the draconian laws".

MCMC expert takes the stand

The trial however, today started with the first witness Harme Mohamed, a 39-year-old information technology expert from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), informing the court about websites and how these were operated.

Harme was questioned by deputy public prosecutor Farhan Read on various technical jargons and basic requirements needed before a website was set up.

"One needs to provide a user name of preference and a password to be used with the user name," said Harme, who is the MCMC deputy director for international affairs department.

raja petra pkr sedition court 061008 outside court Quizzed on how much personal information that an individual was required to provide when setting up a website, Harme said, a name was probably the only thing needed.

He further elaborated on the works behind website administration and possibilities of website or portal to be managed by more than one administrator.

Then he spent about five hours explaining the prosecution's queries to differentiate between the Internet, a server, internet service providers (ISP), blogs and online encyclopaedia Wikipedia among others.

The lengthy questions on the technicalities did not seem to go down well with judge Rozina who repeatedly told deputy public prosecutor Farhan Read to rephrase his questions and avoid repetition.

At one point the judge ticked off the DPP by asking Farhan for the relevance of him badgering the witness on a Wikipedia entry about Raja Petra's background.

After failing to explain the relevance, Farhan withdrew the question on the Wikipedia entry and proceeded with other questions.

‘Posting may not be from RPK'

When the hearing resumed after an one-hour lunch break, Harme was cross-examined by Raja Petra's counsel J Chandra.

It appeared that the defence counsel was trying to suggest that the controversial article was not posted by Raja Petra himself.

Chandra : You were talking about altering a website, to access a website the owner must use his own user name and password. Do you agree it (password) can be shared with other people?

Harme : Yes.

Chandra: Hence, when you see a particular posting on a blog or a website one would not know who had posted it, do you agree?

Harme : Yes.

Chandra : It could come from one who knows the username or password?

Harme : Yes.

The witness also told the lawyer that he was aware of a few articles that were posted on Malaysia Today under Raja Petra's name even after he was remanded under the ISA on Sept 12.

Moreover, Harme admitted that it could be "somebody else" who could have posted those articles.

Witness is also a reader

During the cross-examination session, it was also revealed that Harme, has been a Malaysia Today reader since 2007 and browsed through the contents to the website at least once a week.

raja petra pkr sedition court 061008 supporters To Chandra's suggestions, on his impression on the web portal, he answered positively that the contents of the website "do not condone corruption, denounce money-politics, denounce ethnic polarisation and advocates transparency, accountability and justice".

The cross-examination of Harme continues tomorrow. The prosecution plans to call six to seven witnesses to testify this week.

Meanwhile AFP reported Raja Petra's wife Marina as saying that her husband would not be cowed into silence, and urged the government to abandon its use of the ISA which allowed for detention without trial.

"He is not giving up. He is not a threat to security. If he has done wrong, charge him in court. Do not detain him under the ISA," she told reporters.

"What's wrong in exposing leaders who indulge in corruption? Are we supposed to remain silent?"

Watch a 1-min video as RPK arrives in court